Wai Maori Joint Management Agreement - A first for the country

Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou welcomes the opportunity to partner with the Gisborne District Council to enable the sustainable and responsible management of the Waiapu Catchment.

Selwyn Parata, Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou Chairman said, “We have a unique opportunity to share decision-making responsibilities with the Council through a Joint Management Agreement that will be a first for the country”.

The Runanganui Chair and members of the Ngati Porou WaiMaori working party co-presented the draft Joint Management Agreement to the full Council, with Council Management and Staff. The presentation to the Council is the first step in the formal notification to the Council and will be subject to due Council process.

The Joint Management Agreement is a mechanism provided for under Section 36B of the Resource Management Act, and enables joint decision-making powers over natural resources between the Council and a Statutory Iwi Authority.

Mr. Parata, said, “We have held twenty three hui with our whanau and hapu and the JMA with the council was considered the most pragmatic, and at this point in time, one of the most effective means of giving effect to our rights and interests in the Wai (freshwater) in our rohe”.

Tina Porou, member of the Ngati Porou Working Party, said that “the JMA is one of the building blocks required along with Ngati Porou hapu Taiao (Environmental Management) Plans that will enable nga hapu o Ngati Porou to give effect to Te Mana o te Wai”, a tikanga (values) based framework for freshwater management.

Te Runanganui o Ngati Porou looks forward to ongoing discussions with Ngati Porou on this significant matter and to this end will be conducting hui with Landowners and businesses in the Waiapu Catchment, as well as updating our whanau living in Auckland over the next month.

“We look forward to a positive response from the Council in October” said, Mr. Parata.

For media enquiries please contact:

Selwyn Parata (Chairman)     Ph 0274 990160

Tina Porou                              Ph 021 931787

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